


All in good time

by Chu



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-16
Updated: 2012-06-18
Packaged: 2017-11-03 18:44:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/384623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chu/pseuds/Chu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No matter how unrealistic expectations may seem to be, things will often turn out right, all in good time. </p><p>Follow a story of friendship, discovery, contention and romance as a group of teenagers try to make their way in the world.</p><p>AU. No Sburb. Probable college setting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One.

Dirk Strider was quite a lot of things. First off he was fifteen years old. Second, he was the brother to some hot shot film producer who had more money than time for him but at the very least kept the pair of them comfortably afloat. That fact leads on nicely to number three. Dirk Strider was and had been in fact, for many years, well adept at taking care of himself. He spent the majority of his time in what was technically his and his brothers' apartment on his own. Number four. Dirk Strider was a bit of a loner. Honestly if it hadn't been for the fact that, number five, Dirk Strider was blessed with some manner of genetically inherited swagger, charm, and downright good looks he would probably have had the crap kicked out of him at school for being a nerdy loser. Number Six. Dirk Strider was not a loser. But he was definitely a nerd. 

As far as his hobbies went he had an unfortunate fascination with puppetry of all kinds, probably due to an over exposure to The Muppet Show when he was far, far younger or something like that at any rate. This strange fascination was coupled with an equally intense liking for tinkering with circuits, machinery and mechanics in general. Specifically this mechanical meddling took the form of an interest in robotics which had started when he was about eight or nine years old and realised he could take apart his remote controlled cars. It had been a few years before he'd really mastered the art of getting the pieces which he removed from his mechanised toys to actually take the shape of anything else, but by thirteen he was really beginning to prove what a little whiz he was at this sort of thing. If he'd paid half as much attention to his school work as he did to his chosen pass times he'd have easily been at the very top of all his classes. As it was his grades were easily high enough that he was never in any risk of failing anything, but never high enough to really get him noticed. Number seven. Dirk Strider really didn't want to be the centre of attention, but in reality, Number eight. Dirk Strider was really a bit of a prodigy. 

At a glance he could have been just any normal teenager. He'd been blessed by a naturally broad shouldered physique and a chest that promised to fill out a little as he grew up. At 15 however he was a little on the lean and lanky side. He could probably have done with a few home cooked meals and more sleep, but he was doing okay. His skin was pretty pale which went nicely with his blonde hair, highly gelled into some manner of outlandish style. He liked it. It went well with the equally outlandish sunglasses that he favoured wearing, heck. He never took the darn things off out of choice. Would you if you had the eyes of a weirdo-freak? Seriously. Orange eyes. Who the fuck had orange eyes? Him apparently. So there it was. There was the cool-kid look broken down and neatly allowed to slide into number nine. Dirk Strider had some freaky ass orange eyes, and said orange eyes were currently locked on his computer screen, currently free from behind the quirky eyewear that usually covered them as Dirk Strider was forced to realise something. Number ten. Dirk Strider, in a way he found genuinely rather surprising, had a freaky homo crush on his 'best' friend, who he'd just seen a picture of for the first time. 

 

Dirk and Jake had only ever conversed over the internet. They'd voice chatted on occasion, in more recent times, but honestly, what interest did young boys really have in seeing one another? Even if they had been curious it would have seemed weird and probably out of line to ask to have such wonderings sated. At thirteen, the age they'd been when they'd first met, Dirk quite honestly only really cared that when it came to teaming up in the strategy game they both played, Jake had been able to follow his orders when it mattered, while thinking on his feet when necessary. Basically all that mattered to the juvenile gamers was that the other could help their team win. They'd hit it off well due to a similar level of addiction to the pass time for a while, before of course, like all things, it got old. By then though they'd exchanged contact information and were readily able to chatter away on the Pesterchum chat client. 

Dirk had always found his decidedly foreign friend more than a little unusual, but frankly he didn't judge him too hard for it. The kid grew up with his Grandma in the arse sodding end of who even knew where. Pretty slim pickings as far as role models and social guidance went, so he figure it was no wonder that Jake English, as he soon found out his name was, was a little higher than normal on the quirky as hell scale. Who was he to talk really? He played with puppets. They spoke once or twice a week at first, during the first few months after they'd stopped gaming together, but gradually, over time, as they started to get to know more and more about one another their conversations grew in frequency. 

They were pretty non consequential conversations really, just aimless chatter between friends, but Dirk grew to honestly look forward to seeing his friends chum-handle flash up with a message for him. Jake it seemed either had very little understanding of what timezones were, and just how rarely Dirk turned off his computer, or he genuinely had no qualms what so ever about pestering his friends morning noon or night. In all honestly, Dirk had his suspicions it was probably the latter, but it could be a right pain in his damn ass as frankly he didn't sleep a whole lot at the best of times, and he was pretty fine tuned to wake up when his computer went off. Or any noise really. He was something of a jumpy individual. 

\-- golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] --

GT: Good day my old chum glad to see youre online as i have to say i fancy a good old chin wag like you wouldnt believe!  
GT: How the devil are you?  
GT: Strider?  
GT: You there old bean youre being silent as the proverbial grave over there.  
TT: Silent. Yes English, that would be because I was sleeping. It's approximately half two in the morning here.  
GT: Oh great scot i do believe you are right!  
TT: Of course I'm right, Jake. I'm right here. I can see the clock on my screen.  
TT: It's telling me that under no uncertain terms it's exactly two thirty one in the morning.  
GT: Well thats a blast fucking bastard of a time to be awake strider!  
TT: Yeah. I'm inclined to agree with you. Was there anything you needed in particular? Or was this merely some spur of the moment decision to harass me with your unabashedly eccentric vernacular at a peculiar time of the morning for no other reason that you had little else to fix your focus on?  
TT: In short. What the fuck do you want English?  
GT: Oh nothing that wont just as easily wait until youre rested and quite vigourously revitalised from your daily trials you really should try sleeping more my fine fellow!  
TT: You make it sound like I chose to wake up. And hell. You sure must think I do a lot.  
GT: Well dont you?  
GT: Ive been up and about since four this morning i took a run had a bit of a swim and even tidied up a bit!  
GT: Then i helped grandma in the garden for a while the vines really were getting a little unruly and we had to have a bit of a bonfire to get rid of some of the dead leaf matter it was really quite splendid!  
TT: I will never understand quite how you maintain your energy levels English. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get my serious nap on. My beautiful Strider brain needs to chill after the bout of wicked harsh nasty freak beats I've been handing out all day.  
GT: Haha whatever you say old boy!  
GT: Pleasant dreams and all that malarkey!  
GT: Im going to nip off outside for a bit!

\-- timaeusTestified [TT] ceased pestering golgothasTerror [GT] -- 

Honestly over the years Dirk had been woken up that way more than once, he had more or less gotten used to it, and had eventually gotten better at ignoring the trilling of Pesterchum to the point he could often just roll straight over and go straight back to sleep. Except for those nights where the curiosity overwhelmed him. If he'd been having issues sleeping anyway, or at the very least staying asleep he would roll over, shift himself over to his computer and at least see what his foreign friend had to say at such an unpleasant time of the morning. Sometimes he regretted getting up to do so though. 

\-- golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] --

GT: So it appears i have gotten myself caught up in some truly involved wondering upon a topic that i wish to put to you my distant texan comrade.  
GT: I find myself wrapped up in the swirling maelstrom of quite the dilemma!  
GT: Nay i would even dare to reach so far as to call this matter a crisis!  
GT: Do you have an opinion on the currently despicably foxing conundrum of whether i should allow my eyes to feast upon the cinematic delight that is avatar? *knowing wink*  
GT: Or whether i would perhaps get more enjoyment out of a spell of watching my way through the currently existing spiderman films?  
GT: Im simply at a loss for what to do!  
GT: Ive been debating this matter for almost twenty minutes now and i can simply come up with too many viable reasons why either one would be the positively most appropriate choice and is in fact more resoundingly superior than the other!  
GT: You really are being quite the patient listener today strider more silent than the bottom of a bottle neck shaft sunk lord only knows how many tens of meters into the ground i should dare say!  
GT: Fuck.  
GT: Its four in the god be damned morning there isnt it?  
GT: I'm dashed fucking sorry old boy! 

\-- golgothasTerror [GT] ceased pestering timaeusTestified [TT] --

Messages like that Dirk just tended to ignore. It would have been exceptionally easy for him to become irritated by such a string of absurdly unnecessary interruptions to his sleep schedule, such as it was, but frankly he found himself feeling rather compassionate towards his long distance internet friend. If what Jake told him was true after all he lived with no one but his grandma, and she was often busy with the garden. It had to be one hell of a lonely existence for the poor guy, so frankly, if sending a few messages at stupid oh clock in the fucking morning kept him sane, well, frankly Dirk found that he could be okay with that. It wasn't that hard to just roll over and smother your head with a pillow. Sure, okay, he could have turned off the sounds, but frankly he'd gotten to almost like knowing when his quirky friend decided to harass him. 

As time had gone on nothing served to impair or sever the friendship between the two distant correspondents. Dirk had continued on in Texas, going to school like a normal kid, messing about with puppets and robotic construction like a not so normal kid, and talking to Jake, who still lived off on some island in the middle of the pacific somewhere like anything but a normal kid. The friendship had blossomed however into something more than mere idle chat between two partial friends, no, it was much more than that. There was barely a thought that Jake didn't send Dirk's way, and in as much as he ever did, Dirk found himself opening up in return to the strange islander. 

The first time they actually spoke was naturally the first proof that Dirk got that the way Jake spoke was irrefutably similar to the way he typed. At the same time Jake in return found that Dirk could be even more taciturn on a verbal level. What brought about the change in the nature of their conversation was the fact that Jake found out that his Grandmother was dying. He'd been utterly devastated. Of course he'd been reassured that she could have a great deal of time left, but that did little to dampen the fear in his heat. Dirk hadn't been able to do much to reassure him from so far away, especially via the medium of text alone when the restless island dweller could barely keep settled at his computer for more than two minutes together. So Dirk had insisted he download a programme that would allow for a voice call to take place. And so it had. 

It hadn't been the most cheery of conversations, but hearing his friends voice had brought home to Jake that perhaps he didn't need to fear being quite as alone as he currently did, and honestly it had helped to calm him to hear the low, quiet tones of his remote friend. Not at once of course, but over time, half an hour, an hour, two. Three hours later they were joking lightly back and forth, teasing one another about their tastes in games, girls and all manner of things. It had felt so easy, honestly Dirk had never found anyone closer to home so easy to talk to. At the time he put that down to the distance though. There was no risk of Jake trying to get closer to him than he wanted, in the physical proximity sense of the term. He liked his personal space bubble, and he liked it large. 

The growing closeness of their friendship however did bring about a certain level of knowledge about each other, though Dirk honestly liked to think he probably knew a darn site more what was going through Jakes head that Jake could ever claim to know about him. Then again as far as he could see Jake was pretty much an open book. He'd dish out any information about himself to anyone who cared to ask, it was... an endearing if potentially self destructive quality that Dirk was equal parts tempted and loathed to try and warn him against. Honestly, some people would take advantage of such frankness, Jake was merely lucky that Dirk wasn't one of them. 

\-- timaeusTestified [TT] began pestering golgothasTerror [GT] –

TT: Pretty quiet over there English, in fact it's been quiet all day. You dead?  
TT: Seriously. It's not like you to go a whole day without harassing me with some menial jibberish. What's up?  
GT: Oh hello there strider thank you for your quintessentially friendly concern but i can assure you there is nothing to be distressed or in any manner unsettled about i am merely of a distracted mind today.  
TT: Oh yeah? What's distracting you then? Something big?  
GT: Oh a mere trifling pass of fancy my good man nothing more serious than that.  
TT: Do elaborate. Seriously. I'm quivering in my cowboy boots in true 'bro'therly anticipation of an explanation.  
GT: Oh haha my good chap but it really is nothing worth mentioning. Ive merely spent the morning engrossed in a number of truly spectacular films and have allowed my mind to run down some previously unchartered routes.  
TT: Such as?  
GT: Well to be entirely frank and honest with you i was honestly contemplating the realms of romance and my currently slightly blue mood if you will merely comes from the rationalisation that while i reside in such an unfortunately remote location i am somewhat unlike to be able to find myself entangled in its supposedly downright pleasant snare!  
TT: Oh right, I get where you're coming from. I see what your deal is. But don't let it get you bent out of shape. It's no big.  
GT: Oh thats is such a simple thing for you to say strider i expect you have many a romantic interlude under your belt at this juncture!  
TT: Nah.  
GT: Oh? *Insanely curious as to why not now!*  
TT: Just haven't I guess. Not that big a deal. I'm not the most sociable guy going, hell, I don't really get on with that many people. They tend to piss me off a whole lot. I could make more of an effort if I wanted to.  
GT: Well then colour me surprised! I feel quite the fool for getting so worked up over such an apparently inconsequential sort of situation!  
GT: I feel quite reassured that i am not merely going to be perceived by the world as some manner of OUTLANDISH FREAK of the most hideous nature for not having be involved in any overtly romantic happenings.  
TT: Yeah well that's cool then, I guess.  
GT: Without a doubt it is the coolest of cools so cool in fact that it might you could quite easily go as far as to claim it to be chilly!  
TT: I think you possibly missed what I was going for there.  
GT: Probably.  
TT: Yeah well anyway I didn't really want anything.  
GT: Just checking i was still chugging along were you now strider? Take it easy! That sort of behaviours devilishly flustering from a charming chap such as yourself!  
TT: You'd know all about being charming, wouldn't you Jake?  
GT: Well i suppose so old boy? Strange thing to say however!  
TT: Never mind. I'll speak to you later.  
GT: Cheerio old boy!  
GT: Thanks for the pep talk and what not ill be sure to catch up with you shortly!

\-- timaeusTestified [TT] ceased pestering golgothasTerror [GT] – 

That conversation had taken place just a few weeks before they'd finally decided to exchange pictures. Dirk had sparked it all off. He'd been vaguely curious as to the identity of his friend, other than the name 'Jake English' he'd not really got much to go on. He had the tone of his voice of course, but frankly that could have been anyone. Well... anyone with a strange habit of affecting a rather old fashioned sounding dialect. If he was basing Jakes looks on that alone he'd have almost been expecting a neatly trimmed moustache and some kind of monocle. The image almost made him smirk. He could possibly have allowed himself to hope he was right, as weird as that would actually be.

A further part of his curiosity had come from the unexpected fact that he enjoyed conversing with his friend almost too much. There were moments when he would swear that he actually felt a weird... rush? Something like that from something or other Jake had said. He'd comment on it sometimes. He was 'charming' after all. Jake rarely seemed to see any implications in what he had said however. He was either merely playing about, Dirk decided, or that he was allowing himself to read too much into the situation. Irony was a good shield however. If he ever opened himself up too much, gave too much away only to have Jake laugh things off as a joke then well, that was just how he intended it. Feelings jams. They weren't terribly good at them. He was taciturn as fuck and Jake was oblivious as shit. Oh well. You couldn't have everything?

Jake hadn't seemed to mind the idea, in fact if anything to Dirk he sounded pretty elated by the prospect. Huh. At least it seemed that the curiosity over who they had actually been conversing with for years wasn't one sided. That would have been notably more embarrassing to deal with. For all his cool guy chillness, Dirk really didn't like feeling embarrassed. It was one of the things that honestly kept the rather monotone, almost robotic individual fully grounded in humanity. 

GT: Well i think that sounds just fine and dandy.  
GT: I admit i have been driven quite frankly round the bend with FRIGHTFUL CURIOSITY over what my long distance associate actually looks like!  
GT: Our years of friendship have been long and enduring after all!  
TT: Well then. Lets get this picture swap happening. Happening with some major speed and energy. Like an erupting 'bro'cano of image based file transfers.  
GT: Brocano?  
GT: Good lord strider i think you might be stretching it a little with that one!  
GT: Haha!  
TT: Maybe so. But I'm sticking with it.  
GT: If you say so old boy do just hold your metaphorical horses for the shortest of moments the gosh darned camera is fucking about!  
TT: Not a problem dude.  
GT: Dang blast it ill be with you shortly strider.  
TT: As I said, not a problem. I'll be right here. Sorting my own snap shot out.

That and heading off to the bathroom to restyle his hair. There was no way he was getting caught on film without the perfect Strider style being well and truly in place. He'd have been as honestly vain over anyone seeing him. There was literally nothing going through his mind that could in anyway predict how the conversation was going to end for him. He spent a few minutes fixing his hair, spiking it up just so, enough gel or wax, whichever he'd used, to keep it in place, but not too much. It didn't need to look like he fucking carved it the hell out of a block of stone in the morning or anything. Taking the picture had been no issue after that. One shot. Simple, blank expression, unusual eyes hidden behind unusual shades and there he was. Fifteen. A little too thin. Broad at the shoulders with an almost gaunt face, slim slightly hollow cheeks tapered up to high cheekbones. Pale blonde hair spiked to personal perfection, eyebrows to match, set in an almost stern manner. It was a normal look for him though, nothing was put on. It wouldn't really have occurred to him to pose. 

The file was sent and Dirk merely sat and waiting in silence for a response. When it came along he really had to smile, though it was mostly an internal expression, his lips barely quirked. 

GT: Good god youre a serious looking chap arent you?  
GT: Makes me jolly glad we find ourselves friends!  
GT: Id hate to find myself against you in opposite side of a scrum!  
GT: Good to see you at last though old boy!  
GT: Makes a nice change to put a serious face to your curt conversations.  
TT: Not a problem, English.

 

And then he went quiet again, fiddling about, Dirk supposed, with the camera that appeared to be giving him hell. Still there was no hurry; it wasn't as if he had much to do. He passed the time tinkering with the arm of one of the little robotic creations that had done itself an injury. It happened when you started programming them to duke it out in your room. Whatever though, he could probably fix it with his eyes closed. Dirk was just debating the possibility of trying that out when he heard the chat client sounding again. 

 

GT: Finally beat the gosh damn thing into submission!  
GT: Ill be buggered though if the thing didnt give me a fucking run for my money over it.  
GT: Still there you have it cant win every time.  
GT: Though i suppose by the mere fact i now have a picture to send i did at least have some manner of victory on this occasion!  
TT: Good job?

 

At that point Dirk had clicked to accept the sent file, and had opened it as soon as the transfer had completed. That was what had left him staring at his screen with a some surprise. They'd only ever known each other online, and now a few moments spent staring at the open, smiling face on the screen was enough to cause a strange tightness that pulled somewhere in the region of Dirks stomach, maybe a little lower. He was... attractive. Unnervingly so. Needless to say, this was not what Dirk had expected to happen. Jake was not in anyway the type of person Dirk had expected to find attractive. In fact, he was honestly quite the opposite.

From what he could tell Jake appeared to be fairly tall and of an almost gangly build which promised a great deal more growth with advancing age. His hair was a shock of messy black almost spikes which didn't seem to be following any order or style as far as he could tell. He was wearing white and green, a darker shirt over the lighter t-shirt, he had thick black glasses on his nose and possibly the goofiest smile Dirk had ever seen. It was like... nah. There was no way to even accurately describe and assess that smile. It was equal measures confident and dorky, and it almost made him chuckle to look at. Yeah... that face suited the overly polite conversation style, right down to the smears of mud on the self proclaimed adventure nut's arms, hands and cheek. He'd clearly been out and about previously in the day. Made sense. He certainly wasn't always online, it was clear he spent a lot of time outside. Jakes face and arms, at least from what he could tell under the smears of mud seemed pretty tanned. He wasn't anywhere near as weedy looking as Dirk had expected either. Now that he actually sat and thought it through, with how active Jake professed to be, why would he be scrawny? It still surprised him slightly however to see a pair of shoulders that looked... as broad as his on the screen in front of him. He wasn't willing to acknowledge that there was a chance Jake might have been broader than him. 

TT: Nice to meet you Jake. You should take a shower.  
GT: Haha thank you so much for that well mannered suggestion strider.  
GT: I confess i had much the same thought myself however.  
GT: Do excuse me while i head off to remove the evidence of the days exertions from my person!  
TT: Sure thing bro. Shoot me a message when you get back or whatever. 

\-- golgothasTerror [GT] ceased pestering timaeusTestified [TT] –

Dirk merely sat for a moment longer with his eyes fixed on the picture that was still smiling back at him. It was a very strange sensation, honestly. He wasn't sure how to feel about the realisation that if nothing else he actually found the combined appearance and at the very least the internet based persona of his good friend attractive. It wasn't as if it was the biggest deal in the world. He didn't have any desire to do anything about it, it was just. Unexpected. He didn't really like the unexpected. He was used to working with exacts. Strong predictions at the very least, and this had sort of blind sided him for the time being. 

Without waiting for Jake to come back he signed out of the chat client and got to his feet. It was no big deal. He could handle the realisation, it wasn't like it was actually that huge a dent in his lifestyle. But he just wanted a bit of time with his own thoughts. Time to use to pull them together and think things over. Every new facet of his life needed to be pushed sensibly into line. It was the only way to keep things from getting out of hand. He made it his personal business to understand pretty well exactly what he was thinking and feeling at all times. How else could he possibly hope to maintain the Strider cool? For losing their cool was just one thing that Striders did not do.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Dirk and Jake's friendship develops somewhat and plans for the future are made.

Not a great deal changed over the months that followed for Dirk. He stayed very much as he ever had been, going to school, passing everything well enough without ever really investing any real effort. Tinkering around with his strange little robotic projects and of course working on improving his list of exceedingly ‘sicknasty’ raps. Jake had been on the receiving end of more than one of them and honestly he had put it up with like an especially grouchy and more than slightly prickly porcupine. Apparently he didn’t especially care for each and every line of conversation falling into a perfectly imperfect rhythm which could quite easily have been carried by the breath of a fucking God it was so beautifully crafted. Nor did he seem to care for being told he was throwing off the beat of the chat with his ill thought out and frankly badly timed replies. Apparently things like that at least vaguely irritated Jake English. Talking of that certain distant island dweller however, Dirk had made a few observations on him as well.

Jake, as it turned out, was quite the character. Not only was he still endearingly ridiculous in his mannerisms but he also apparently had quite the ability to work his way under your skin in the most unexpected ways if you were neglectful enough to give him the chance. The most singular thing about him however was that he certainly had no idea in the fucking least that it was even something that he was managing to do. It was entirely and totally unintentional. Ever since Dirk had seen that first picture of his long distance correspondent he had been unable to separate the image of the laughing face from the jovially worded conversations they had of course continued to have. Each and every comment Jake made was now accompanied by an actively imagined and always expressive facial expression. Dirk did after all have a lively and inquiring mind, logical and sensible for the most part for sure, he was still not at all stunted in his ability to practice a decidedly active imagination as well. 

As much as it actually began to infuriate the usually innately controlled blonde to admit that he had little control over his own thoughts in this aspect, Jake English had well and truly begun to play on Dirks mind, dancing through his thoughts as it were, to his own decidedly individual music like some manner of leaping and hideously clumsy jackrabbit. It was quite the continually vexing situation to have Jake constantly bothering his thoughts. For example, the desire to see him was one issue which constantly arose for him. They were friends after all, no? Very good friends in fact, the very best of bro’s you could even say. He was pretty fucking certain, 96% certain in fact that you couldn’t find a better pair of bro’s who had cultivated such staggering levels of blissful fucking brodom despite being separated by a fucking ocean. Who wouldn’t want such awesome friends to finally be able to hang out in some kind of face to face way which didn’t feel seedy and involve a webcam? It was awkward being so painfully aware of how creepy and weird shit would look if you let your hands drop off the bottom of the screen at any point. Especially when your friend was such a joking asshole as Jake English often was. Then again, it had to be said Dirk was more than able to give as good as he got.

It was actually pretty soon after that first picture exchange had been carried out, during a conversation about ‘The Future’ with Jake, that Dirk first found himself actively thinking of ways in which he could contrive some sort of meeting between the two of them. Ideally he wanted to think of some way or other to bring himself and Jake English into the same society for a time at least, preferably a relatively lengthy one. Anything would do really, but that would be the best idea. It would be a shame after all to cut short what was undoubtedly going to be the most epic-sweet string of hang out sessions mankind had ever seen after all. He had to think of something, something solid and sensible. Something Jake could actually manage to pull off without inadvertently excusing himself from, or derailing in a fit of sheer brilliant ignorance. They were both 16 at the time and the idea came to him rather more quickly than he could ever have hoped, even his fantastic machine of a mind sometimes took its time in solving these more delicate conundrums. Really thought it was almost sickeningly simple. College, it was the perfect answer. 

GT: But then would you believe it we both went tumbling off the cliff and into the sea! It was the most downright blasted remarkable thing neither gran nor i were impaled on one of the dozens of pointy rocks!  
GT: Theyre all just sticking out of the water right there under the cliff edge! Like an army of spiky soldiers!  
GT: Its really quite impressive to see you know!  
GT: Can you believe our luck there strider? Simply cracking good fortune no?  
TT: I find myself utterly unable to disagree with you there. Not dying certainly has it’s perks after all.  
GT: I should say so! Nothing like a near death experience to give you a real appreciation for life!  
TT: Been looking towards the future then have we English? Care to share you musings with me there Bromeo?  
GT: Hah! Hardly! I have not a revelation to share with you really. I merely thought that perhaps it was time to view life with some new fire. Gran is an inspiration after all! She’s still going as strong as ever!  
TT: Always good to hear. She still makes sure you stick to your lessons? It would be a most unfortunate thing to have that truly special mind of yours going to waste.  
GT: Yes yes of course. I am terribly book learned over here on my rock in the ocean strider! All the best in the nature of internet learning and homeschooling!  
TT: You must have quite the hankering for life in the real world then. You know, real classes with real students? How does that sound?  
GT: You know my dear fellow now you mention it that does sound like a pretty fun experience! Learning with a bunch of other chaps and lasses!  
TT: Well then English perhaps that is something to start taking into account.  
GT: Oh yes? Is that so old boy?  
TT: Why not look into it for college? Plenty of time to get it all planned out after all.  
GT: College you say? I hardly think it the time to put my mind to such things yet! Crimeny that really would be rushing into things more soundly than a bobsled down an ice chute! But i dare say the notion could be worth a thought or two at some point!  
TT: Sure. Now what was that movie you were going on about earlier? Three ten to some town way back in the ass crack of history.  
GT: Yuma strider! My god you are an uncultured berk!  
TT: You were watching Cool Runnings earlier, weren’t you?  
GT: Gadzooks! What an uncanny thing! However did you guess that?  
TT: I’m just that good. 

Little by little, that was the only way to approach this. No matter how infuriating it might be to have to proceed with little stumbling baby steps, that was just exactly how it needed to be done. He didn’t want to tell Jake what to do. He didn’t want to lead him about by the nose after all, as he was pretty sure if Jake twigged to what he was doing he’d get his back up at the situation in a big way and probably dig his heels in. It was a hard temptation to resist, but there it was. Regardless of that however he certainly wasn’t above trying to put the ideas into his head, where he couldn’t be blunt he could certainly be subversive. 

If he could get Jake thinking seriously about going to college at some point in the future, preferably at the same time as him, well, then he could move on to stage two. Stage two being an attempt to get Jake to see what a ‘jolly cracking idea’ it would be to have them study in the same place, so much the better for him at the end of the day if Jake thought it was his own idea. It had to be said that he was far more likely to stick to his guns as it were and act on the situation if he thought it was something that he had come up with himself in a fit of brilliance that Dirk merely fully supported. The Texan was all too well aware that if he were to push Jake too much then he’d likely get stubborn, and talking Jake around on a point he’d decided to get huffy over was really more than Dirk could be bothered with. The slight nudging however, there was definitely a fairly high percentage chance, it was at least 78% likely to come to pass that if he carried on with his subtle nudges that Jake would come to see things his way, and with each conversation they had this percentage increased. 

golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering timeusTestified [TT]

GT: Strider! You actually there old boy or are you kicking back in the shower again?  
TT: Just got out a little while ago as it happens. Hair’s still damp and everything.  
GT: Good to know i suppose. Care to chat a spell? Ive precious little on the cards since its raining up a storm out here!  
TT: Sure. I’ve the time and the inclination. I’m doing very little that can’t be done while conversing, under the broviso of course English, that you’ve actually got something you want to talk about.  
GT: Splendid! And yes yes of course i have. Theres always something or other to be said after all! Ive just got a film on myself. Its cracking good stuff! A thrill a minute one might say!  
TT: Films. Well there’s a predictable topic. And just which film might that be then English? Enlighten me as to what cinematic masterpiece you are perusing today.  
GT: Its called scorpion king as it happens! Real gripping stuff!  
TT: ... You’re not being ironic in the least are you?  
GT: Ironic strider? Why the blasted heck would you think i was?  
TT: Never mind Jake. Let’s not get into a conversation about the relative merits of that particular film just now I think.  
TT: I have the distinct feeling that there is a real high probability that it would derail into a travesty of conflicting opinions and unbendable differences.  
TT: Let us put an end to that before it even begins, shall we?  
GT: Oh well if you say so my good chap! Personally i think its quite astoundingly splendid stuff! Quite the jolly way to escape the humdrum passing of another dull day!  
TT: That sounds an awful lot like you’re giving me an opinion, English.  
GT: Oh fine fine! Be that way! Tell me then. What manner of doubtlessly engrossing occupation are you enlisting in to pass the time on your side of the puddle strider?  
TT: Nothing all that inventive really Jake. I’m merely checking over a few college websites. I’m starting to think about where I might actually look into studying. Though I am likely to remain here in Texas as it happens, I am pretty well settled after all.  
GT: Oh is that so?  
TT: Sure. There’s no logical reason to spread my metaphorical wings and relocate when the schools here offer all the classes I actually desire to take.  
TT: It would be a waste of both effort and resources.  
TT: Not to mention I like my apartment.  
GT: I think youre just lazy my dear fellow!  
TT: Hardly. It’s mere common sense English. You must be able to see that. Or is your mind completely befuddled by the mire of incomprehensible nonsense which you’re currently subjecting it to by way of your taste in films?  
GT: Oh do be a good chap and just lay off the films for a moment. Im looking over what you said again.  
GT: Huh.  
GT: Well i dare say thats does seem as sound a reason to stay where you are as any other! The world however is my oyster on this score! I shall not find myself tied to any one place at all!  
TT: Still thinking about the education path yourself then are you? If that is the case you almost deserve a standing brovation for your sudden and shocking show of sense. I gotta say I’m really very impressed.  
GT: Very droll as ever strider. Though as it happens yes i am keeping the matter in consideration. Your own thoughts on the notion got my own imagination turning like a veritable machine and i simply could not put it out of my thoughts!  
GT: It would certainly be a whole new brand of adventure to follow after all! Cant say i dislike the thought in the god be darned least! Ive been stuck out here far too long anyway. A change can only be a good thing about now really!  
TT: Glad to hear it. Anyway. The door just went. I’d better sign off.  
GT: Catch you later on no doubt! Have a cracking evening strider.  
TT: Get some sleep.  
TT: You can think more on wild adventures off into the great unknown with no one by your side but your trusty self in the morning. Hell we can even talk it through further.  
TT: Between us I’m sure we can start a plan. My formidable intellect and your ceaseless enthusiasm will be quite the unstoppable combro.  
GT: Indeed old boy indeed! As much as that awful attempt at a bro based remark cut me i am certain i must quite resoundingly agree with you!  
GT: As for your other remark however. That had quite escaped me. Lord alive though it would be a bit of a solo trip wouldnt it?  
TT: The door. I need to go.  
TT: Night Jake.  
GT: Oh. Yes of course. Later strider.

timeusTestified [TT] has ceased pestering golgothasTerror [GT]

Stage one complete. That meant that the commencement of stage two needed to begin as quickly as possible. He now merely needed to get Jake to see that above all else, going to college in the same city as him was really the only option to follow. This really shouldn’t have been too hard a plan to implement. His mind at once leapt into action. In no time he had a whole list of reasons, perks pertaining to the area, perks pertaining to transport links and climate and even the courses that were offered. However he brought himself up short of making overtures to Jake rather abruptly, applying logic might not be the most appropriate move to make here... Besides... he hardly wanted to play his hand too soon now, did he? If he was too outright in his approach and merely told Jake he thought it would be every kind of sick and sweet in equal measure to have his best bro here in the same city he might be pressed to admit more, and that simply could not happen, he had no intentions of being drawn out blindly by his oddly archaic internet friend. Not for a moment. Any other feelings which he may or may not have been beginning to experience for his distant companion were to be kept strictly under wraps. They had not yet been fully analysed and dissected after all, and it would be in no manner prudent to act upon them without them being fully understood. 

In the end however the idea seemed to have planted itself in Jakes head with relatively little input needed from Dirk himself. He had possibly underestimated how easily influenced his distant friend could be and the one comment about it being rather one man show seemed to have done the trick well enough on its own. He had been settled at his computer fairly late one evening, mixing a couple of tracks together to produce a more complicated and interesting backing beat for a rhyme he was working on when a message window from Jake had flashed up onto the screen. 

golgothasTerror [GT] began pestering timeusTestified [TT]

GT: Strider!  
GT: Strider! Are you there?  
GT: I say i have had the most wonderful notion! I mean it as well!  
GT: It really is quit brilliant!  
GT: Oh come on old boy! Arent you going to ask me about it?  
GT: This really is the most terrible devil of a moment to have sloped off to have a shower!  
GT: Well fine! Be that way. Im certainly not going to tell you until you ask!  
TT: You know you can be frighteningly childish at times English.  
GT: DIRK!  
GT: Have you been sat there this whole time?  
GT: Bad show old boy! Very bad show!  
TT: You seemed to be having such a wonderful time talking to yourself I hated to interrupt.  
GT: Youre an ass. You knew i was trying to talk to you!  
TT: Well I’m here now, so get talking.  
GT: Yeah im almost tempted to keep this to myself now!  
TT: Your call. If you don’t want me then I’ll just get back to mixing, which, I hasten to add, I paused in doing just for you.  
GT: Oh very charitable of you my good sir! Very kind indeed! However you also failed monstrously to tell me that you had done such a thing so i was forced to sit here wittering on to myself merely for your amusement!  
GT: Youre really not much of a gent are you strider?  
TT: Nope. I’ve never claimed to be one either. Now are you gonna tell me what the amazing earth shattering and ceaselessly wondrous idea you had was?  
TT: Do you intend to further torture me with anticipation?  
TT: You’re killing me here Jake.  
TT: It hurts.  
TT: You monster.  
TT: Seriously I’m bored here. Spit it out.  
GT: I was just waiting for you to finish. You really can be the most over the top buffoon when the mood takes you. You do know that right?  
TT: I am aware I can be somewhat whimsical at times.  
TT: I’m all ears now however. Or eyes I suppose. Lay it on me either way bro.  
GT: ...  
TT: Is this really a thing we’re doing?  
TT: Seriously Bro. I can tell you’re practically bursting at the seams to tell me your story already over there.  
TT: Just give in to the urges.  
GT: You are quite right as it happens. I really do want to discuss this with you as quite honestly my good man it affects you directly as well!  
TT: Oh? Okay. I’ll admit it, you really do have my interest now. How exactly does your brilliant idea involve me?  
GT: Well! As it happens it doesnt really require you to do anything much at all really! Merely tell me just precisely where it is you happen to be studying! Or at least where you hope to be!  
TT: Uh huh. I can sort of see where you’re going with this. Go on though, I’ll bite. Why?  
GT: Well so i can come and study there as well! I have to say i dont know why the idea didnt occur to you after all! Its certain something i would have thought you could have picked up on!  
TT: Yeah. Shocking oversight on my part, I will admit.  
TT: Terrible. Worst friend. It is me.  
GT: Dont be too hard on yourself my dear chap! We cant all be insightful geniuses!  
TT: Careful English.  
GT: Hahahahaha! I knew youd reach a limit on your pretence of acceptance old boy! I was merely playing with you! Anyway! What do you think of the notion?  
GT: I mean honestly! We can do the first year in dorms as you’d expect but don’t you think it would just be utterly grand to save each other the odd dollar here and there by rooming together or some such in the years after? I think it could be quite a delightful turn of events!  
TT: My, English. How very forward of you. I might swoon.  
GT: Gadzooks strider! I certainly hope you are being a darned fool over this! Tell me straight up what you think of the notion if you would be so kind?  
TT: You’re taking all the fun out of this.  
GT: I was concerned i might be asking too much of you!  
GT: I hardly want to be left wondering what your rather quizzical mind might have made of my potentially rather silly notion!  
GT: So of course im feeling just a little restless over the whole thing!  
GT: And now youve gone and fallen quiet on me once again!  
GT: Youre doing this on purpose aren’t you?  
GT: Fuck you strider you utter berk!  
TT: Maybe.  
TT: Sometimes your reactions are just too good to pass up on.  
GT: Codswallop. Youre just an inexcusable arse!  
TT: You might well be right.  
TT: So let me ask you this...  
TT: Still want to be my roomie?  
GT: Im having second thoughts!  
GT: But in al sense and reality if youve a mind to agree with the notion yourself i dare say im still more than up for it!  
TT: Never heard a better idea.  
TT: I think you’re really onto something here.  
GT: Cracking! Gosh! I am really am dashed happy to hear you say that you know!  
GT: Well. Read i suppose!  
GT: But you get the point!  
TT: Sure.  
GT: I think im going to go and watch a film to celebrate! I certainly dont have to worry about where im heading off to now!  
TT: You do that. Catch you later English.

timeusTestified [TT] has ceased pestering golgothasTerror [GT]

That really had been far, far too simple. He had no idea which lucky star he’d managed to hole himself up under, but he was certainly hoping he didn’t have to move away from it any time soon. Jake had come to the conclusion that what Dirk wanted was best for him without the blonde actually having to push him in the right direction at all really, it was actually pretty unbelievable. 

Honestly it gave Dirk a little too much of a lift that Jake actually seemed to really want the chance to com e and hang out with him. Sure it was going to be great to get to hang with his best Bro and it should really make him happy for sure! But... maybe not this happy...?


End file.
